Ask what wear should look like
A mark on a solid timber table and a mark on a gloss laminate read very differently. Start by choosing which everyday changes belong to the room, then agree what needs maintenance. A beautiful sample is only a beginning.
Test the working surface
Keep a physical sample long enough to test the ordinary spills and cleaning methods that the space will see. Inspect it in morning and evening light. Ask the supplier for the actual finish system rather than treating a colour photograph as a specification.
Make care part of the brief
A finish that needs frequent specialist maintenance may be right for one household and wrong for another. Write down who will maintain it, which products are appropriate, and what a repair will look like.